Kidney stones, as a common disease, usually occur in adults. However, this does not mean that babies cannot develop kidney stones. On the contrary, with the improvement of people's living standards, more and more babies are suffering from kidney stones. There are many reasons for babies to develop kidney stones, let's analyze them one by one.
Causes of kidney stones in babies:
1. Excessive calcium supplementation
Excessive calcium supplementation is an important cause of kidney stone formation. The absorption of calcium in the body is limited, especially in infants and young children. Excessive calcium intake can lead to calcium deposition in the body, resulting in kidney stones. Currently, many parents have the problem of excessive calcium supplementation for their children, mainly due to excessive intake of cod liver oil, which is a fat-soluble preparation. If taken in excess, it will adhere to the cell surface and eventually form calcification.
Recommendation: The total daily intake of vitamins for an infant should be around 400 units.
2. Mixing formula with mineral water
Some families use mineral water to mix formula for their babies, which is actually a wrong practice. Long-term use of mineral water to mix formula can increase the burden on the kidneys and increase the risk of kidney stone formation. In some areas, the quality of tap water is too hard, which can also cause kidney stones if consumed for a long time.
Recommendation: If tap water is a problem, it is necessary to improve the quality of family drinking water in a timely manner. Let the water settle for a while after it is taken out of the water pipe, then boil it before drinking.
3. Excessive supplementation of vitamins
Many mothers now supplement their babies with a large amount of vitamin C to improve their immunity. Many vitamin C tablets on the market exceed the baby's requirement, and taking too much vitamin C can easily cause urinary tract stones in babies. In addition, excessive intake of high-protein, high-calorie, high-purine, low-fiber diet, excessive intake of cod liver oil, sudden increase in the excretion of calcium and phosphorus in urine will inevitably lead to precipitation and easy stone formation.
How to determine if a baby has kidney stones?
1. Babies with kidney stones will have cloudy urine, and even white sediment.
2. If a baby cries excessively during urination, consider the possibility of kidney stones.
3. A simple B-ultrasound examination can be done at the hospital to detect kidney stones at an early stage.
If the baby has any of these symptoms, parents should first take the baby to the hospital for examination. If kidney stones are diagnosed, parents don't need to worry too much. As long as there is no hydronephrosis or acute renal failure, kidney stones can be controlled with diet. Giving the baby more water to help eliminate the stones is sufficient.
